Animated figure clock



FiledODeC. l5, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR.

- acob 5. Feiner BY M 644% ATTORNEY.

Jan. 2, 1940.

J. s. F'EINER ANIMATED FIGURE CLOCK Filed Deo. l5. 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

' ATTORNEY.

Jan. 2, 1940. J, s, @NER 2,185,805

' ANIMATED FIGURE CLOCK Filed Dec. 15, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VENT OR. aco 5'. Fe/'r/ er*- ATTORNEY.

Patented J an. 2, 194K()j UN-1TED-s-rars orrioe 2,185,805 ANIMArnn runnenI oLocii Jacob. S. Feiner, NewYork, N. Y.

Application December l5, 1938 Serial Nol2455814 '7' claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in pendulum clocks in the formr of an attachment, designed to be actuated by the clockedriven pendulum and which utilizes and cooperates with 5.- the same to give motion to human', animal and other iig'ure representations,thus mechanically.y animated to attract attentionv and create interest `1p oscillation of the pendulums., While here utilized `to give motion. to the feet of a figure representation .of a girl, insimulation of the human yfoot movement in Walking ordancing, may xbe readily k adapted, aswill be evident, tof move any other 2o part orparts of this or anyother gurepreferred;

Experiment'and test have Ademonstrated that.

thestandard pendulum time movement is ordinarily incapable oi-"operating satisfactorily when burdened with an overload ofr added moving.

u parta unless such parts are soconstructed land mounted that their Weight and the friction developed in their operation is reduced to apoint amounting to practical elimination.

To meet theabove requirements, the Weighty `of the pendulum and its pivotal mounting in 'my` so attachment, is carried and entirely supportedby a bracket arm extensionoithe' clock movement frame and-.the bearings ofthe: pendulum are vpractically irictionless. l 'l The onlyconnection between the pjendulums of the clock 'and the attachment; is in the forrn of a lpin drive, the pin being` carried by the clocky f pendulum and arrangedI in engaging `relation withj either the outeredge of the attache-ripen- 4:0;du1uxn orfsthe side Wall of a slot or other suitably 1eg:.extensions of the girls -gure are formed :asv

`disconnected .partaone being attached to each pendulum, They have, no appreciable weight,

50 being cut out of appropriately colored lightweight paper and oi'ler no apparent hindrance to the vmovementof* the .pendulums, as operated by the clock:

Continuous.usevofhmyattachment in connece 55.1 tion-'with .a y:standard pendulum 1 time movement,

hasl satisfactorily demonstrated the successful reductiony ofthe overload to the point of insuring practical operativeness of the combined mechanism.

Gtherieatures of the invention not speciallyv mentioned' above, will be pointed out in the detail description that follows:

Several constructions suitable for carrying my invention in eiect are illustrated in the accompanying drawings but I do not Wish to be understood intending to limit myself to the same, various changes may be made in both the form and/or details, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as outlined in the append-ed claims.

inthe drawings:

Fig. i is a view infront elevation of a walking,"clock, constructed in accordance with my invention.v

2 is a side elevation of the same;

`Fig'. 3 is a rear elevation of a standard pendulum time movement, showing my attachment operativeiy associated therewith.

Fig. i is-alside elevation thereof.

Figy is aI detail `perspective View of the tw pendulunis and the connection between them.

ig. 6 is asimilarvview of' a modified form of` the connection, and

Fig. vr(is a like showing of afurther modifican Referring now to the drawings, i vindicates fanciful, brightly colored figure representation of a vpeasant'girl carrying a basket. The iigure is of such siae'asto provide suitable space in the skirt of the dress forr the dial 2 of a clock located init-he rear, to whichl the figure is secured by screws 3,53. Exceptingfthe feet @,dfand leg eX- terisions 5;' 5, therefrom, the figure is` shown as a one-piece formation. The feet withk thaleg extensions are formed as separate parts designed to'be attached 'toandcover the lower portions ci the two pendulurns. With which the clock is provided; as hereinafter describedand project from under the' girl iigures `skirt inray naturaly mnner.

As the pendulums swing 'back and forth in' opposite directions, the feet and leg extensionsl n. moving with the pendulums,wi1l suggest or` give time movement and will nottherefore be de -scribed in detail beyond pointing out the escapement wheel t andk its cooperating notchedcyl- ,inder'l (Figs. 3, 4 and 5) or anchor 8 (Figf) 65 which is mounted on a shaft 9 to oscillate and either directly or indirectly transmit its oscillatory movement to the clock pendulum IU, all in a manner well known in the art.

My pendulum attachment for converting such a time movement into a two-pendulum clock consists of a bracket-arm I I, secured as an extension of the clock movement frame I2 by one of the frame bolts I3. The bracket-arm extends downwardly from the frame I2, at a suitable angle to carry pivot bearings I4, I4, for the pendulum I5 of the attachment, which bearings are below and in vertical alignment with the center about which the clock pendulum oscillates.

One of the pivot bearings I4 of the pendulum I5 is formed in the bracket-arm II and the other bearing in a shaped addition thereto, the added piece i being removably secured to the arm by a screw or bolt I I and serving to form a terminal yoke containing the above described bearings in which the pivot pin I8 of the pendulum is mounted. The pivot pin I8 is fast to the pendulum and moves freely in the bearings as the pendulum oscillates, with practically no friction.

, From the foregoing it will be seen that as the weight of the added pendulum and its pivotal mounting is carried and entirely supported by the bracket-arm extension, it in no way checks or hinders the normally free operation of the time movement and its oscillating pendulum. It will also be seen from the construction and mounting of the pendulum attachment, thus far described, that securing it in operative relation to the clock movement involves no change in or i modication of the movement, but leaves it intact.

The one and only link connecting the attachment for operation by the clock movement is a driving connection between the pendulums, through which, as previously stated, the attached pendulum is given an impulse every second oscillation.

I have found that except for momentary contact relation when the impulse is given, the pendulums cooperate perfectly without requiring any form of physical connection between them. The employment of a physical connection such as a conning slot or other form of opening for the drive pin, has no effect whatever upon their operation, if ample freedom of movement is provided in the connection to avoid friction and permit ready self-adjustment thereof to the changing angularity of the pendulums on their reverse oscillation. The main, if not the only purpose it serves, is to maintain the pendulums in proper relation and against displacement under abnormal conditions, such as rough handling of the clocks in shipment from the factory or from place to place, but once the clock is placed in position for use and is given ordinary care, any physical connection between the pendulums ceases to function.

In transmitting motion from one pendulum to the other, a pin IS is secured fast to the clock pendulum and positioned to periodically engage either the outer edge of the attached pendulum, as in Figs. 6 and '7 (in which it is indicated respectively by the reference characters lila, I9c) or the side wall of a slot or other opening 2li, formed therein, as in Figs. 3 and 4. The slot or opening 2U is of such relative size that the pin contacts the wall thereof only when giving an impulse to the attached pendulum.

The drive pin is located at about the midpoint between the oscillating centers of the pendulums and as this is below one center and above the other, the oscillating movement of the pendulums will be in opposite directions.

In a standard time movement such as here shown the clock pendulum receives an impulse from the escapement every second oscillation and transmits a like impulse to the attached pendulum, through the drive pin, as above described.

Fig. 6 shows the same essential elements, operating in the same manner as in Figs. 3, 4 and 5.

The pin ISa on the clock pendulum continues to act as the drive pin, although provided with a terminal opening |919, which is loosely engaged by the reduced end 20a of the attached pendulum.

Figs. 3 to 6, inclusive, show a physical connection between the pendulums which serves to maintain them in operative relation and against displacement from shock, jars and rough handling generally but, as previously pointed out, this connection is not essential to the eiective operation of the added pendulum.

Fig. 7 shows the physical connection l-ir'ninated and the drive pin of the clock pendulum relatively positioned to impart impulses to the attached pendulum by periodically contacting the outer edge Zlib thereof, swinging free and clear of the same at all other times.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A two-pendulum clock in which the pendulums move in opposite directions and one is directly driven by the clock, and a drive pin carried by and movable with the clock-driven pendulum to establish requisite periodic contact relation with an outer edge portion only of the other pendulum to impart impulses necessary to oscillate the same.

2. A two-pendulum clock in which the pendulums are arranged to move in opposite directions, one of the pendulums being driven by the clock, and a two-member connection through which motion is transmitted from the clockdriven pendulum to 'the other pendulum to give it reverse oscillation, one member of the connection being a pin and the other member having an opening therein in which the pin has free movement and coacts with one side only thereof in transmitting motion from one pendulum to the other.

3. An attachment for a pendulum clock, consisting of a second pendulum, a bracket-arm eX- tension from the clock movement irame providing a pivotal mounting for the second pendulum and a two-member connection between the pendulums through which motion is transmitted from the clock pendulum to the added pendulum to oscillate the latter in the reverse direction, one member of the connection having an opening therein and the other member being in the form of a pin freely movable in the opening to effect self-adjustment of the connection to the changing angularity of the pendulums in their reverse oscillation.

4. An attachment for a pendulum clock, consisting of a second pendulum, a bracket-arm extension from the clock movement frame terminating in a yoke in which the second pendulum is pivotally mounted and a pin and slot connection between the pendulums through which motion is transmitted from the clock pendulum to the added pendulum to oscillate the latter in the reverse direction.

5. A two-pendulum clock in which the pendulums move in opposite directions and one is directly driven by the clock, a single member interposed between the pendulums for intermittent transmission of motion from the clock-driven pendulum to osoillate the other pendulum, the said member being carried by and movable with one pendulum and projecting at right angles therefrom into the path of movement of the other pendulum for periodic engagement therekwith when swinging in one direction only, such engagement being at a. point below the pivot of one pendulum and above the pivot of the other. 

